THE BASICS
Your first name: Keira
Your partner university:Victoria University Wellington
Your UVic major during the exchange: Kinesiology
UVic session(s) during which you did your exchange: Feb-June 2010
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GENERAL EVALUATION
Please rate your overall exchange experience on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 4
Comments: Amazing first few months filled with travel, friends and fun! Last two months were rainy everyday as it was winter there. After awhile, the early darkness and rain starts to get you down when everyone at home is enjoying summer.
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ARRIVAL
How satisfied were you with your experience ofarriving in your host country or city? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 1
Comments: After confirming TWICE with the school to pick me up when my flight got in, I was greeted by no one at the airport. And then I was taken to Nexus (temporary housing), since the school couldn’t find a residence to place me in. It was very stressful to arrive in a new country, be told you had 5 only days in temporary accommodation before they shipped you off to a hostel if you couldn’t find a place to live.
What assistance, if any, did you receive whenyou arrived at your exchange destination? Eventually I found VUW representatives at the airport and they hired a cab for me. So the arrival worked out. However, when I arrived with no place to live, the Student Housing office was very unhelpful. Basically they told me “good luck in your search”.
How difficult was it for you to obtain your traveldocuments (visa, etc.)?
Faster than I anticipated, but still a good 3 or 4 weeks.
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ORIENTATION AND ASSISTANCE
How satisfied were you with the orientation and assistanceavailable to studentsat your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 2
Comments: Orientation was only one afternoon and while it got you acquainted with the campus buildings and a bit of the city, I was disappointed that they had no activities designed to help you meet other students.
How easy was it to find information you needed to know right away? Pretty easy.
What help did you receive from the international staff or office? I had a few major glitches with housing and later with registering in courses, and the exchange coordinator was EXTREMELY helpful. She always replied to emails promptly, and made sure to follow up on me later to make sure things had worked out. Definitely a good support system there.
What was your impression of the international staff or office? The international office was at the Pipitea campus, which isn’t very close to the Kelburn Campus (where most of the classes/residences are), therefore you could never really drop by in person for help. But everyone there was extremely helpful over email or the phone.
What was the orientation like at your partneruniversity, if there was one, and how well did it suit your needs? It was good for introducing you to the school/city, but as I said earlier, it didn’t give you the opportunity to meet other students, which I was expecting.
What was it like to adjust to the culture of yourexchange site and were there people you could talk to about what you were experiencing? New Zealand is very similar to Canada, however with some vast differences in terms of technology, internet, cell phones etc. Since it is a developed, English speaking country, I assumed it would be exactly like home, or even Australia. But I was surprised by the unexpected differences. Nothing earth-shattering though. And there are TONS of exchange students from North America to chat with.
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HOUSING
How satisfied were you with the housing available to students? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 3.5
Comments: That rating is on Canadian standards of living scale. On the Wellington scale, my apartment in residence was probably a 4.5. Everything in Wellington is older, and without central heating. My place was the oldest residence and a bit shabby, but it was right on campus (which most residences are not), and had a decent sized kitchen (most are small). I also looked at many private places on the market before I was moved off the waitlist into residence, and many of them were terrible in terms of Canadian standards. What is considered acceptable living conditions for Wellington is very different from Victoria. I was in the Wai-te-ata apartments, and though it was old, it was very spacious and I enjoyed living there. My friends in other residences were jealous!
How early could students move in to housing at the beginning of term? We have to be there 2 weeks earlier than the term starts for orientation, but you can’t move into residence that early. So you are put in temporary accommodations for a few days which is annoying with all your luggage.
What options were available for meal plans orcooking facilities? Some residences had a meal plan, some had kitchens
How satisfied were you with the food? I made my own.
How close are the residences to the university? Mine was right behind the gym (2 second walk to the library). Others were MUCH farther away. The residences are owned privately, not by the university, so many are not on campus, and the quality of each varies dramatically.
Could students stay in the residences during major holidays? Not sure.
Which residence would you recommend to UVic students? Wai-te-ata, Te Puni Village (if you can afford it!).
If you lived in off-campus housing, how easy was itto find? I didn’t live in off campus housing, but I searched the market when I first got there. Not very easy at all! I think that was the hardest aspect of the whole exchange. There were so many students without housing that were searching and everyone was very stressed and the school wasn’t giving us much help. I was told there was a shortage of housing that semester. Everyone eventually found a place, but it was a very stressful experience, and a lot of people broke down within the first week because of the stress and worry of living in a hostel and not having anywhere permanent to live. Hopefully the school sorts this out. If at all possible, try to have a place lined up before you arrive!
What should future UVic exchange students know about living off-campus?
The school is near downtown, therefore all the young, working professionals are looking for housing in the Kelburn area as well. This means there are few places, and many are out of a student’s budget. It does take some searching to find things. Many people live in surrounding areas like Te Aro. Everything in Wellington is walkable distance between the university and downtown. Keep in mind you do not get a bus pass for free! It is pricey, so perhaps avoiding living busing distance away.
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COURSE REGISTRATION
How satisfied were you with the registration process at your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating:3
Comments: You had to do it in person, and have certain people sign to let you add/drop courses. After UVic’s awesome online registration procedures, this was highly inconvenient.
Please describe the registration process at your partner university.
See above.
What kind of help was available?
How successful were you in registering for classesyou wanted?
It is pretty easy to get into the classes you want, especially since you have been pre-approved into most of them.
What advice would you offer to next year's exchange students about registrationat your partneruniversity?
You have to stand in line a lot, so get used to it!
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ACADEMICS
How satisfied were you with the academic program at your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 5
Comments: Solid courses, with solid teachers (in the Science department anyway).
How did the style of teaching at your partner university comparewith that at UVic? For science, it was almost exactly the same, except more hours of class per week.
How did the workload compare to what you would expect at UVic? The same workload, and the same difficulty of exams, but less was required of the students. Meaning that most exams were scaled down substantially if everyone did poorly (which most people seemed to do in the upper level sciences I took). That rarely happens at UVic! My first year course Introduction to New Zealand History was actually marked a lot harder than I thought was fair, but I think the grades were scaled at the end too.
How many courses did you take in your first term abroad?
3, but dropped to only 2 halfway through when I found out I got into med school in Canada.
Your second term?
What would you recommend as an appropriate course load for other UVic students visiting your partner university?
I originally had 4 or 5 courses, but quickly realized no one takes more than 4. Even 4 there is seen as a “hard” workload. Not necessarily because it is, just because the Wellington definition of “hard” is different from UVic’s.
What specific courses would you recommend to visiting UVic students? I heard the introduction to Maori course was amazing. And while the intro to New Zealand history was pretty boring, I learned a lot about New Zealand culture and I feel like that helped me understand things that were going on nationally while I was there, and I understood the Kiwi’s better as a people.
Why?
See above
If you studied in a non-English speaking country, what was the availability of courses offered in English?
What advice would you give UVic students about succeeding academically at yourpartner university?
Classes really aren’t that hard. Just be sure to stay on top of the work. I missed a lot of class in order to travel, and I never regretted it. This exchange is about experiencing the culture as well as academics….so don’t miss out on fun things because your nose is buried in a textbook!
What was your impression of the computer facilities, library, andinternet access at your partneruniversity? Very nice library and computers. Although a bit busy at times. The internet is also VERY slow (and expensive when you get it for your home).
What electronic devices would you recommend a UVic student bring(laptop, PDA, etc.)?
Laptop for sure. Also, bring a cell phone from Canada that is unlocked internationally (it’s hard to get it done in Canada unless you know someone, but I actually had it done in New Zealand for really cheap because it isn’t illegal there). My friends paid a lot of money for a cell phone they could never use again (because it had a New Zealand charger), and was so basic you couldn’t even set an alarm. Bringing your own cell phone (this is unlocked internationally) and popping in a $2 SIM card is much more cost effective. Also, don’t buy Vodafone. Go with 2degrees. And no one in New Zealand calls each other, its too expensive. Everyone texts, so just focus on a good texting plan!
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COSTS
Please indicate currency: NZD
Books - per term: 90 (and only because I was in sciences…other people had maybe $20 in coursepacks only)
Accommodation - per month: 700 or 800
Meals - per month: 200
Local transportation - per month: 0 (everything is walkable)
Health insurance - per term: 200
Personal spending - per term: Lots, when you factor in travel
Communications (phone, etc.) - per term: 30 (but I texted internationally a lot, some people got by on 20 every 5 weeks).
Other university related fees - per term:
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EXTRA-CURRICULAR/SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
How satisfied were you with the out-of-class opportunities at your exchange site? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 5
Comments: The gym was very nice. I did a lot of exercise classes there, which were very different and fun! Some of the clubs (Ie ultimate) were very popular too.
What organized activities (clubs, sports, etc.) were available to students? Almost the same as UVic
What extra-curricular activities would you recommend to future exchange students? Ultimate!
What do you recommend other visiting students see or do on their weekendsor holidays? Go traveling! Rent a car on the weekend and drive around. You can see the entire country in 4 short months. There are long mid-trimester breaks too, where you can get a good long trip in. Flying to Australia is pretty cheap if you catch a deal. The Pacific Islands are a bit more pricey, but we managed to get a deal for Samoa and it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!
What opportunities were there for students to work on-campus? You can’t work on the student visa of only 6 months
Off-campus?
What volunteer or internship opportunities were there for students? I volunteered in a biology lab there. I heard about it through my professor, but I’m sure there are websites detailing other volunteer work.
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SAFETY AND HEALTH
How safe did you feel at your exchange site? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 5
Comments: We walked everywhere, no matter what the time of night, and I felt completely safe.
What are the biggest safety concerns for future exchange studentsgoing to your exchange site?
What are the biggest health concerns for future exchange studentsgoing to your exchange site?
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PERSONAL AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
What was it like making friends? A bit difficult at first, as there are no orientation events to help you meet people. But eventually you see the same exchange students at the international office sponsored events. Also, your roommates!
How successful were you at making friends with local(i.e., not international) students? One of my exchange friends was living in a residence with all local students. So we were lucky to have a lot of Kiwi friends, and actually got to spend time with their families. However, I know a lot of exchange students never meet the locals!
What was it like to adjust to the culture of your exchange site? Not very difficult
What, if any, cultural differences did you find particularly challenging? North America is all about speed, and New Zealand is not! Internet, cable, cell phones are slow and very expensive at times. The technology is a lot further behind Canada, and it’s hard to adjust to that after being in a society that always wants newer and faster gadgets. I think I only saw one person with an iphone there, and no one is glued to his or her phone at dinner like I’ve noticed in Victoria!
What parts of the culture did you most appreciate? The Maori culture. The kiwis have dealt with their native population a lot differently than Canada has and it was very interesting to learn about the Maori people. I even know quite a few Maori words….some come up in normal usage, so you need to know a few!
How were you treated by local people? By university staff and faculty? By students? Great! The Kiwis are very friendly
As far as you could tell, how easy would it be for students with disabilities to study at yourpartner university? Not very if you have a physical disability that hinders your ability to walk or climb stairs. You basically climb steep sets of stairs and hills every day!
For students who are visible minorities in your host country? Because of the atmosphere of acceptance (due to the two nationally recognized cultures living there), people are very tolerant of other minorities.
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TAKING STOCK
What are the three most important things for students to take with them when they go to your host country or region?
1)Rain coat. It rains A LOT. And it is too windy for an umbrella.
2)Comfy walking shoes (I never even took a bus once!)
3)A willingness to spend money on exciting/challenging activities (paragliding, glacier hiking, sky diving, bungy jumping, mountain hiking, etc). It’s well worth it!
What are the three most important things you would tell a UVic student who is going to yourpartner university on exchange?
Travel.
Travel.
Travel.
New Zealand is breath-takingly gorgeous. Make sure you to plan your trips well so you can see both islands. Also, weather affects some spots (Bay of Islands and Cormandel are much better in the sun!), so keep that in mind. There are so many exciting activities to do; be sure to spend the money on some truly memorable experiences (tubing in underground glow-worm caves anyone? Glacier hiking sound fun?)
Is there any other information that you think might prove useful to UVic exchange studentsattending your host university?